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

Word bank: mark · can · pass · snap · bear · rule · arm · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. snap — to click
  8. can — a tin
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. last — to go on
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rule — a law
  20. mark — a trace
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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