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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spell — letters
  5. board — a committee
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mark — a trace
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. board — to get on
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. spell — magic
  23. season — of the year
  24. spell — a short time

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