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

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. plane — a tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ground — the earth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mark — a grade
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — a position
  12. roll — a list
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ground — crushed
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. snap — to click
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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