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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fall — the season
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lean — thin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. tube — a container
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fall — to drop
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cue — for pool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lean — to bend

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