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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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. deal — a big deal
  3. race — the arms race
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to click
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pound — a weight
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. race — a contest
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rush — hurry
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — to hit hard

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