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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chair — a leader
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pop — soda
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. drill — army training
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pop — music
  16. can — a tin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. snap — to click
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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