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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. tube — a container
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to click
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rule — government
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — a trail

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