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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. swing — music
  3. bank — of a river
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bank — for money
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cap — a lid
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. face — part of the head
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. face — to confront
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bank — for money
  20. wake — a trail
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cap — a hat

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