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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 116 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: rush · snap · bass · cabinet · fan · swing · rock · nail

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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. swing — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — hurry
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bass — the fish
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rock — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. snap — to click
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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