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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. craft — boats
  9. rule — a law
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rule — government
  13. mug — a face
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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