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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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. cap — of ice
  3. object — an aim
  4. firm — a company
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — for money
  7. object — a thing
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. drill — a practice
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cap — a hat
  18. object — to protest
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — a lid
  21. shower — rain
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. mouse — the animal

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