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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: leaves · snap · wake · spell · wave · racket · stick · shower

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. shower — rain
  13. wake — a trail
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spell — a short time
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spell — letters
  24. snap — to click

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