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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: nail · toast · snap · pass · lie · patient · perch · hide

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pass — a permit
  3. toast — bread
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. snap — to click
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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