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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: wake · bay · arm · game · lie · rush · perch · snap

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. game — a match
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — the fish
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wake — a trail
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lie — to recline
  23. snap — to click
  24. rush — a thrill

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