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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: snap · wave · mate · suit · mark · rock · sharp · field

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mark — a trace
  8. suit — clothes
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. suit — to fit
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — a grade
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mate — to breed
  19. field — for sport
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rock — music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. sharp — exactly

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