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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a city
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lean — thin
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lie — to recline
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. snap — to click
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rash — a series
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com