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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. snap — to click
  8. kick — in football
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lean — thin
  14. deal — to handle
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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