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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. last — finally
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — government
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — in a road
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — to go on
  13. rule — a law
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. last — final
  24. lash — to lash out

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