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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. snap — to click
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. firm — a company
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mug — a cup
  16. firm — steady
  17. mug — a face
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cap — of ice

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