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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 · dip · present · mug · coach · ball · rush · wave

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a face
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. snap — to click
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. present — there
  24. wave — with your hand

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