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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: racket · wake · snap · wave · mouse · nail · pop · calf

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wake — a trail
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pop — music
  24. nail — on a finger

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