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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. pop — music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. snap — to click
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wave — with your hand

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