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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: snap · deal · hide · pitcher · wave · fan · racket · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. roll — a cake
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — to cool the air

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