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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mark — a grade
  3. object — a thing
  4. current — of water
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — happening now
  7. snap — to click
  8. object — to protest
  9. mark — a trace
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. band — a music group
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wake — a trail
  16. roll — a cake
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. current — electric
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. band — a ring
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — an aim
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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