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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lean — to bend
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. snap — to click
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. present — a gift
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cue — a signal
  20. present — there
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — help

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