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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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. deal — an agreement
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spring — the season
  9. kick — in football
  10. deal — to handle
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. key — in music
  23. spring — of water
  24. snap — to click

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