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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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. chip — for betting
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. staff — employees
  17. drill — army training
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mouse — the animal

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