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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. snap — to click
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rush — hurry
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stem — to come from
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fine — all right
  19. wax — to grow
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. jam — a tight spot

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