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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: lean · rush · snap · rule · kick · fan · jam · mine

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — to bend
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rule — a law
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — in football
  17. snap — to click
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. lean — thin
  24. rush — hurry

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