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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. race — the arms race
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rest — a break
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bass — low music
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bass — the instrument

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