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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: snap · mark · wave · lean · lash · jam · row · court

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mark — a trace
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. court — of a king
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. row — a line
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lean — thin
  24. mark — a grade

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