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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lean — to bend
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. squash — the sport
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lean — thin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mine — for digging
  23. snap — to click
  24. bore — to tire

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