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

Word bank: snap · track · suit · bank · coach · deal · fall · fine

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fall — the season
  4. track — a path
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. track — a song
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fall — to drop
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fall — to drop
  14. track — to keep track
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. deal — to handle

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