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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mug — a face
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mug — to rob
  10. object — a thing
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. object — to protest
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. object — an aim
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cabinet — ministers

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