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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pit — in a race
  4. snap — to click
  5. pound — a weight
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ground — a position
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — a hole
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fork — in a road
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fork — to eat with

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