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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pit — a hole
  8. club — a group
  9. spring — the season
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to click
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — a permit
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. club — for golf
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pass — to succeed

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