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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: ball · pass · suit · bulb · field · rock · snap · wake

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. field — a subject
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — clothes
  8. field — for sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. field — farmland
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — a trail

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