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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. sharp — clever
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — help
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. chip — for betting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. hand — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. suit — in cards
  24. arm — part of the body

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