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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — a grade
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. clip — for paper
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. face — part of the head
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. clip — to cut
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — the sport
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. clip — a video
  20. mug — a cup
  21. face — to confront
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to click
  24. deal — a big deal

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