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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: wave · chair · can · pitch · temple · wind · snap · mark

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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. wind — moving air
  3. snap — to click
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pitch — completely
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mark — a trace
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. can — a tin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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