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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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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: kick · firm · stick · snap · bore · arm · fine · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. snap — to click
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — a company
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — steady
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — decided
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. kick — in football
  24. bore — to drill

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