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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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. mouse — for a computer
  3. bound — certain
  4. snap — to click
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bound — tied together

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