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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. suit — clothes
  3. row — a line
  4. snap — to click
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mine — for digging
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — a face
  20. bank — of a river
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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