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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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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: suit · swing · wake · snap · bay · cue · toast · pitcher

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cue — a signal
  6. swing — music
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. suit — clothes
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. toast — bread
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — a trail
  16. swing — to play on
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to click
  24. swing — in golf

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