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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cap — a lid
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. snap — to click
  8. hand — help
  9. current — happening now
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. current — of water
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rush — hurry
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hand — in cards

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