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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. game — wild animals
  7. board — a committee
  8. lie — to recline
  9. snap — to click
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — a match
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pop — to visit
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pop — soda
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — to get on
  24. pop — music

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