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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: rash · bound · mark · fall · snap · plane · wave · object

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — a series
  5. object — a thing
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — a trace
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bound — certain
  13. fall — the season
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. fall — to drop
  18. object — an aim
  19. bound — tied together
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — hasty
  22. object — to protest
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. plane — a tool

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