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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pop — soda
  5. snap — to click
  6. spell — a short time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spell — letters
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pop — music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. can — to be able to
  17. deal — to handle
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. can — a tin
  24. pop — to visit

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