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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wake — a trail
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. drill — a practice
  10. snap — to click
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. face — to confront
  16. drill — army training
  17. face — to point toward
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — thin
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mark — a trace

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