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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fine — all right
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pop — soda
  8. board — to get on
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. can — a tin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chest — of your body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. firm — steady
  17. scale — in music
  18. snap — to click
  19. board — a committee
  20. firm — a company
  21. pop — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — decided
  24. fine — a penalty

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