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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: nail · bay · wave · pop · firm · snap · charge · pitcher

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. charge — in control
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. firm — a company
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pop — music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pop — soda
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. firm — steady
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pop — to visit

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