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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wake — a trail
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wake — before a funeral

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