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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 120 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: bowl · rest · root · suit · wake · snap · wave · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. root — of a word
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rest — what's left
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wake — a trail
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rash — a series
  18. rest — a break
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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