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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.

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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mark — a grade
  15. press — a publisher
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to click
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. press — to push

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