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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · deal · rush · rock · last · sharp · lean · pound

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rush — hurry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rock — music
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. last — final
  15. pound — a weight
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — to handle
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. last — finally
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. last — to go on
  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