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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · craft · saw · snap · date · bank · hand · content

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. content — the amount
  8. craft — a skill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — the fruit
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. content — happy
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to click
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lie — to recline
  24. craft — boats

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