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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pass — a permit
  6. swing — music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitch — completely
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. prune — to trim
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bark — to shout
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. snap — to click
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. firm — a company

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