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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mark — a grade
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mate — a partner
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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