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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: rush · arm · wake · swing · cue · bound · snap · chip

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bound — tied together
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bound — certain
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wake — a trail
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chip — for betting

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