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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
468
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 · fan · mate · wave · bat · can · spring · stand

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spring — the season
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. spring — a coil
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to click
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spring — of water

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