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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — thin
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lean — to bend
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. snap — to click
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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