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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. snap — to click
  2. can — a tin
  3. file — a line of people
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rush — hurry
  23. can — a tin
  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