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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. snap — to click
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. staff — a stick
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. date — the fruit
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ground — a position
  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