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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 116 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. current — of water
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. current — electric
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. prune — to trim
  12. current — happening now
  13. sharp — clever
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fall — to drop
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lie — an untruth

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