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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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. fork — in a road
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. object — to protest
  13. snap — to click
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — clever
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. object — a thing

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