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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: board · snap · mouse · jam · bark · saw · roll · wave

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. roll — a list

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