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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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. pop — soda
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bank — for money
  11. snap — to click
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. can — a tin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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