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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rash — a series
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. snap — to click
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fork — in a road
  13. spell — letters
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spell — magic
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. nail — on a finger

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