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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · can · vault · bowl · ball · last · wake · pop

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. last — finally
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wake — a trail
  12. last — final
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — a tin
  16. last — to go on
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. can — to be able to
  21. snap — to click
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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