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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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 speak sharply
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fine — all right
  6. craft — boats
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. band — a music group
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. snap — to click
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. band — a ring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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