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

Word bank: club · rest · bay · deal · tear · safe · snap · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. club — a group
  3. lie — to recline
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — what's left
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. snap — to click
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rest — a break
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — to handle
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. club — for golf

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