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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: present · lie · firm · snap · rock · sharp · game · mark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rock — music
  4. present — the time now
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. game — wild animals
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — steady
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. snap — to click
  16. present — there
  17. rock — a stone
  18. game — a match
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — a company
  22. present — a gift
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. game — a kind of play

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