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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bank — for money
  3. can — a tin
  4. staff — employees
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pass — a permit
  19. staff — employees
  20. can — to be able to
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pass — to succeed

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