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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: fan · mark · roll · ball · squash · snap · mate · net

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. net — in sport
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mate — to breed
  15. roll — a list
  16. net — after costs
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a dance
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to click
  23. net — for catching
  24. squash — to crush

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