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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rest — a break
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fall — to drop
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — what's left
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fall — the season

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