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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — a committee
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bore — to tire
  11. board — to get on
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. snap — to click
  16. firm — decided
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hand — help
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. temple — a place of worship

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