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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. key — for a lock
  8. snap — to click
  9. shower — to wash
  10. deal — to handle
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. row — a line
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — in music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. shower — rain
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. row — a quarrel

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