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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · lie · firm · pound · net · root · drill · snap

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cue — a hint
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. firm — steady
  5. net — in sport
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cue — for pool
  12. root — the cause
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — decided
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. root — of a word
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. firm — a company
  22. net — after costs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. snap — to click

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