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

Word bank: cap · snap · fine · chest · arm · deal · pop · pass

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pop — music
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pop — soda
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cap — a lid
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — a box
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pop — to visit
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — a penalty

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