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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mark — a grade
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. face — part of the head
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. face — to confront
  14. fine — high quality
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — all right
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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