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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: snap · chip · spring · suit · fan · deal · patient · wake

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to click
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — for betting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — in cards
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wake — a trail
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chip — to eat

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