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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. kick — in football
  6. pop — soda
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — in control
  10. pop — music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rule — a law
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. rule — government
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stock — goods
  22. snap — to click
  23. stock — shares
  24. kick — with a leg

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