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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: bear · snap · pop · firm · arm · lean · deal · object

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. firm — decided
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lean — thin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. object — an aim
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. snap — to click
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — to visit
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — to bend

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