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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rest — a break
  20. court — for sport
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. snap — to click
  24. lie — to recline

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