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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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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 · fork · wave · season · rush · rest · present · ruler

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. snap — to click
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — there
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. season — in sport
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — of the year
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rest — a break
  24. present — a gift

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