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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. snap — to click
  11. mate — a friend
  12. deal — to handle
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rush — a thrill

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