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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: spell · snap · mate · bulb · firm · sharp · band · lie

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spell — magic
  5. bulb — for light
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. firm — a company
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — steady
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — decided
  23. sharp — clever
  24. band — a music group

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