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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. hand — help
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hand — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — a permit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — a big deal

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