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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: bowl · lie · lean · nail · coach · firm · trunk · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lie — to recline
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. snap — to click
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bowl — to roll

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