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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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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: file · fork · snap · mate · suit · court · hand · wave

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fork — in a road
  4. file — a tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. file — a document
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. court — of a king
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hand — in cards
  17. court — of law
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. court — for sport
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. hand — help

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