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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 · lean · mark · mate · bass · net · pound · rock

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rock — a stone
  3. net — in sport
  4. bass — the fish
  5. net — for catching
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mate — a friend
  17. net — after costs
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — low music
  20. lean — thin
  21. snap — to click
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — to move gently

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