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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bear — the animal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — to protest
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. object — a thing
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. object — an aim
  21. rest — a break
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bear — the animal

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