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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
468
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 · wave · bore · board · leaves · spell · bulb · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. spell — letters
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. snap — to click
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mark — a grade
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spell — magic
  20. board — to get on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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