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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: deal · nail · mine · mug · ruler · pass · snap · band

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mug — to rob
  4. band — a music group
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pass — a permit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. band — a ring
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mine — an explosive
  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