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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. suit — in cards
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. club — for dancing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — for golf
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. club — a group
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wake — a trail
  22. snap — to click
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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