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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: mine · snap · lie · toast · wound · wave · bear · staff

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wound — an injury
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. snap — to click
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — employees
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — employees
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. toast — bread
  24. wound — an injury

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