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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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. mug — a face
  3. bank — of a river
  4. snap — to click
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mug — to rob
  13. file — a document
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mug — a cup
  19. spell — letters
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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