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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — a committee
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. snap — to click
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. fork — in a road
  13. suit — in cards
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. board — to get on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wake — a trail
  24. suit — to fit

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