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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — to protest
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — steady
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bass — low music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — decided
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. snap — to click
  24. firm — a company

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