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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: hide · present · fine · rule · mouse · firm · snap · pound

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. present — a gift
  4. snap — to click
  5. firm — steady
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rule — government
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. firm — a company
  13. present — there
  14. fine — all right
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. present — the time now
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — decided

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