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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 120 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: lie · clip · safe · key · snap · fan · stand · content

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. clip — for paper
  11. snap — to click
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. key — for a lock
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. key — in music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stand — to bear
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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