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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rest — a break
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to click
  15. tube — the underground
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. sharp — clever

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