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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: nail · rock · clip · pop · coach · snap · wave · lean

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rock — music
  5. clip — a video
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. clip — to cut
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pop — music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pop — to visit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lean — to bend
  22. snap — to click
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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