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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. object — an aim
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pit — a hole
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. object — to protest
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. current — electric
  13. cue — a signal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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