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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. suit — to fit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. firm — decided
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. snap — to click
  14. face — part of the head
  15. firm — a company
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — to confront
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — clothes
  24. firm — steady

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