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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rest — a break
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — to sink
  6. fine — all right
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. can — a tin
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. snap — to click
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — to be able to
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — a tin
  24. sharp — exactly

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