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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pit — a hole
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. snap — to click
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. staff — a stick
  11. hand — help
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. staff — employees
  15. can — a tin
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. firm — decided
  18. dip — to sink
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bound — obliged
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bound — certain
  24. can — to be able to

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