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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 120 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 · root · wave · bowl · bark · pit · fan · foot

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bowl — a football final
  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