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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: lean · snap · racket · mark · game · wound · nail · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wound — an injury
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lean — to bend
  14. game — a match
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mark — a grade
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — music
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lean — thin

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