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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to click
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. roll — a list
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bound — certain
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stock — goods
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. roll — a cake
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. club — a group
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — to hurry

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