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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. spell — magic
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. firm — decided
  11. rash — a series
  12. rock — music
  13. spell — letters
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rash — hasty
  18. snap — to click
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. firm — a company
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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