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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to confront
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — obliged
  7. present — there
  8. can — a tin
  9. present — a gift
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. face — to point toward
  13. present — the time now
  14. can — a tin
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. face — part of the head
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bound — certain
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mark — a trace

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