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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rash — a series
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. firm — steady
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — after costs
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fine — high quality
  13. key — in music
  14. net — for catching
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. firm — decided
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. firm — a company
  19. net — in sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — all right
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mug — a face
  24. hide — to keep secret

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