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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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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: chip · date · toast · wave · snap · rock · pop · last

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. last — to go on
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. rock — music
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. last — final
  10. pop — music
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pop — to visit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. last — finally
  19. pop — soda
  20. snap — to click
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. toast — bread
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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