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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. firm — steady
  5. charge — in control
  6. deal — to handle
  7. charge — electricity
  8. firm — decided
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. snap — to click
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise

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