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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bat — the animal
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pop — soda
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  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