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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: toast · wave · snap · bound · rush · face · key · degree

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. face — part of the head
  3. degree — temperature
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. face — to confront
  10. bound — certain
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — for a lock
  13. face — to point toward
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. key — in music
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. degree — from a university
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bound — obliged

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