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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bank — of a river
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kick — in football
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. snap — to click
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — child
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — rain
  24. stand — to bear

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