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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. club — for golf
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. roll — a list
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. object — a thing
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — decided
  11. snap — to click
  12. cap — a hat
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. club — for dancing
  16. object — an aim
  17. club — a group
  18. roll — a cake
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wake — a trail
  21. object — to protest
  22. cap — a lid
  23. firm — a company
  24. cap — of ice

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