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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chest — a box
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. scale — in music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. object — an aim
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. scale — size or range
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. object — a thing

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