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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pitch — completely
  20. current — of water
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. snap — to click

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