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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: ball · cabinet · snap · mark · bear · wake · cue · chest

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a trace
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. snap — to click
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. chest — a box
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chest — of your body
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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