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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 124 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. key — in music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to click
  12. lie — to recline
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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