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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. track — a song
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. object — a thing
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — an aim
  11. present — a gift
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — a hint
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. present — there
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — music
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — a division
  22. track — a path
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. snap — to click

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