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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: date · snap · pass · firm · march · net · ruler · kick

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. kick — in football
  8. firm — a company
  9. march — music
  10. net — for catching
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — a permit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. date — the fruit
  17. firm — steady
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. firm — decided
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. snap — to click
  24. date — on the calendar

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