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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bound — tied together
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pass — a permit
  15. snap — to click
  16. can — a tin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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