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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rest — a break
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. band — a music group
  14. fork — in a road
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. march — music
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mug — to rob
  19. suit — clothes
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. band — a ring

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