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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: board · dip · jam · mark · wake · shower · racket · snap

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. board — a committee
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wake — a trail
  8. shower — to wash
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. shower — rain
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. dip — to dunk

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