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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — a box
  7. rock — music
  8. chest — of your body
  9. season — of the year
  10. rock — a stone
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bass — low music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — soda
  19. chest — of your body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bass — the fish
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pop — music

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