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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 · wound · cabinet · sharp · ruler · kid · fan · drill

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. kid — to tease
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. drill — army training
  13. kid — child
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. snap — to click

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