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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a great time
  5. court — of law
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — for sport
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. object — a thing
  14. court — of a king
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rule — a law
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. snap — to click
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — government
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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