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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. object — to protest
  8. chip — to eat
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rule — a law
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — an aim
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rule — government
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mine — for digging
  23. object — a thing
  24. mine — an explosive

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