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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: snap · wave · spell · club · firm · jam · bank · cap

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. club — for golf
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. club — for dancing
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. club — a group
  7. cap — a lid
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cap — a hat
  13. spell — letters
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. spell — magic
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — decided
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. firm — a company
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — a short time

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