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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: rest · game · rule · object · pit · snap · rock · mouse

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — music
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. object — an aim
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. game — a match
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — to protest
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rest — a break
  19. rule — a law
  20. rock — a stone
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rest — what's left

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