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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cue — a signal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bank — for money
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kick — in football
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a grade
  16. race — a contest
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. race — humankind
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — the fish
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. perch — for a bird

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