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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. file — a tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. file — a document
  6. rock — music
  7. snap — to click
  8. file — a line of people
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. stock — shares
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rock — a stone
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — goods
  24. mouse — the animal

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