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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. land — a country
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — to come down
  17. root — of a word
  18. land — ground
  19. root — the cause
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. snap — to click
  24. lean — to rest against

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