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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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. suit — clothes
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. plane — a tool
  10. snap — to click
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. charge — in control
  14. stand — to bear
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stock — goods
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — shares
  24. ruler — a monarch

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