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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. snap — to click
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pound — a weight
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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