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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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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: key · wave · mark · suit · root · game · arm · snap

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. key — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. snap — to click
  9. root — of a word
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. game — a match
  14. root — the cause
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — a trace
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. suit — clothes

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