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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mug — a face
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wake — a trail
  19. chip — to eat
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. snap — to click
  24. hide — animal skin

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