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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cell · rock · snap · fine · saw · sharp · band · suit

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rock — a stone
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. snap — to click
  10. band — a ring
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cell — in biology
  13. band — a music group
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rock — music
  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