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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 124 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — a committee
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rash — a series
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rash — on the skin

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