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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: bowl · firm · bear · chip · mug · kick · snap · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — a cup
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. mug — to rob
  7. snap — to click
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. firm — decided
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. chip — to eat
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — music
  24. mug — a face

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