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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. firm — steady
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rule — a law
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. firm — decided
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pop — soda
  14. snap — to click
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rule — government
  17. pop — music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bark — to shout
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — to visit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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