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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. land — to come down
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — a country
  8. board — to get on
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wind — moving air
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — ground
  19. board — a committee
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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