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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. arm — a part of something
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cell — a phone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — a committee
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — to get on
  12. fine — all right
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to click
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cell — in biology
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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