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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.

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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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. dip — a sauce
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. charge — a price
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — in cards
  8. dip — to sink
  9. charge — electricity
  10. file — a tool
  11. charge — in control
  12. file — a document
  13. key — the most important part
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. key — in music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — hurry
  18. suit — to fit
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. snap — to click
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. file — a line of people
  24. stem — to come from

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