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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. object — to protest
  7. chest — of your body
  8. object — an aim
  9. snap — to click
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chest — a box
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. deal — to handle
  16. object — a thing
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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