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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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. snap — to click
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — a line
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bass — low music
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. staff — a stick
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — the instrument

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