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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · wave · snap · foot · bore · file · racket · net

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. file — a line of people
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a dance
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. net — in sport
  21. snap — to click
  22. file — a tool
  23. net — after costs
  24. racket — for tennis

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