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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 · race · hide · pitcher · sharp · racket · ruler · charge

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. race — the arms race
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. race — a contest
  13. snap — to click
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. charge — electricity
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. race — humankind
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. hide — to keep secret

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