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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — in control
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — electricity
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — the most important part
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rest — a break
  24. ground — a position

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