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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. land — a country
  3. pitch — completely
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fall — to drop
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. fall — to drop
  19. land — to come down
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to click
  22. fall — the season
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — hurry

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