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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: jam · sharp · lie · snap · cue · leaves · straw · hand

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to click
  4. hand — help
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cue — for pool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cue — a signal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lie — to recline
  18. hand — in cards
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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