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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. chest — a box
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pop — soda
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mate — a friend
  19. chest — of your body
  20. perch — the fish
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mug — a face
  24. suit — in cards

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