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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pop — soda
  9. snap — to click
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — hurry
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pop — to visit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pop — music
  20. vault — a safe
  21. prune — to trim
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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