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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mug — a cup
  14. snap — to click
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rash — a series
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ground — a position
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. ground — crushed
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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