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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: wave · track · snap · chair · stem · pit · spell · ball

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ball — a great time
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. track — a song
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pit — a hole
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. spell — a short time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pit — in a race
  15. snap — to click
  16. spell — magic
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. track — a path
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spell — letters
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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