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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hand · racket · bulb · file · lie · mug · mark · snap

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mug — a face
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mark — a grade
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — help
  14. file — a line of people
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to click
  20. file — a document
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mug — a cup

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