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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — a company
  7. mug — a cup
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mug — to rob
  16. firm — steady
  17. mug — a face
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — decided
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lie — to recline
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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