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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 116 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: wake · bowl · bay · snap · rest · mug · fall · firm

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fall — the season
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fall — to drop
  17. firm — steady
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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