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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. firm — steady
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. drill — army training
  7. rule — a law
  8. firm — a company
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rule — government
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. tube — a container
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — decided
  24. leaves — to go away

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