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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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. fine — high quality
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. snap — to click
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — a company
  10. fine — all right
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fan — a supporter

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