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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: bay · pitcher · snap · current · leaves · wake · file · pop

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. snap — to click
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. pop — music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a document
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. current — happening now
  20. pop — soda
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pop — to visit

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