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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. snap — to click
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. net — after costs
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — soda
  12. root — of a plant
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fork — in a road
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. net — for catching
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pop — music
  21. root — of a word
  22. toast — bread
  23. pop — to visit
  24. net — in sport

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