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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.

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: snap · ball · swing · drill · plane · mouse · bound · lie

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a great time
  5. snap — to click
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bound — obliged
  17. drill — army training
  18. swing — to play on
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — certain
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. drill — a practice

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