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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. snap — to click
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. scale — in music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — help
  18. scale — size or range
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. scale — for weighing

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