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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. snap — to click
  3. can — a tin
  4. rash — a series
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lean — thin
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to bend
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. can — to be able to
  13. board — a committee
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — hurry
  19. board — to get on
  20. bass — low music
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lean — to rest against

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