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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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. wake — before a funeral
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. swing — in golf
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pitch — completely
  18. swing — music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. swing — to play on

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