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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: snap · rock · clip · tube · wake · fork · temple · suit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. suit — in cards
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. tube — the underground
  9. clip — a video
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. clip — for paper
  13. suit — to fit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — clothes
  16. snap — to click
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fork — in a road
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. tube — a container
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rock — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. clip — to cut

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