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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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 — to eat
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cap — a lid
  10. firm — steady
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — a company
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stem — to come from
  22. snap — to click
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stem — of a plant

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