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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. drill — army training
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a trace
  10. snap — to click
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — to fit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. spell — magic
  20. drill — the tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. drill — a practice
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — a grade

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