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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rule — a law
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. board — to get on
  9. snap — to click
  10. mug — a face
  11. stem — to come from
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rash — hasty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rule — government
  19. ground — the earth
  20. can — a tin
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. ground — a position
  24. board — a flat piece

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