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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. snap — to click
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mug — a face
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. bass — low music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. suit — clothes

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