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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: mug · snap · wave · pop · face · rest · dip · mark

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. pop — to visit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pop — music
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — a grade
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pop — soda
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. face — to confront
  22. mark — a trace
  23. snap — to click
  24. mug — a cup

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