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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mug — a face
  5. clip — for paper
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wound — an injury
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — a cup
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. clip — a video
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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