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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: straw · ball · leaves · pop · rock · bear · pass · snap

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ball — a great time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ball — a dance
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. snap — to click
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. straw — a straw man

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