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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 116 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: sharp · scale · pass · branch · snap · rest · lie · saw

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rest — what's left
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lie — to recline

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