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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 116 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: mouse · wave · mark · rash · ruler · snap · court · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rash — hasty
  15. court — of a king
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rash — a series
  23. snap — to click
  24. mouse — the animal

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