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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 don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. can — to be able to
  3. file — a document
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. club — for dancing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. can — a tin
  8. shower — to wash
  9. file — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. club — a group
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rush — hurry
  17. shower — rain
  18. staff — a stick
  19. snap — to click
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. club — for golf

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