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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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Word bank
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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: leaves · snap · ground · tube · deal · perch · present · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lie — to recline
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ground — crushed
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. snap — to click
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. ground — the earth
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. ground — a position

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