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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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. shower — to wash
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — a permit
  7. firm — steady
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rash — a series
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. key — in music
  24. rash — hasty

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