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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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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: snap · rest · fan · ruler · stand · rock · pitch · hand

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rest — a break
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rest — what's left
  12. snap — to click
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — music
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitch — completely
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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