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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · mug · wake · ruler · tube · calf · snap · face

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tube — the underground
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tube — a container
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to click
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. face — part of the head
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wake — before a funeral

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