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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 124 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're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pop — to visit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pop — music
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. current — of water
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — clever
  13. current — happening now
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. snap — to click
  16. current — electric
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. arm — a part of something

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