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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — for money
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. snap — to click
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bank — of a river
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — to bear

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