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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: bay · lie · perch · dip · wake · snap · kick · pass

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. kick — in football
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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