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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: march · object · snap · deal · wave · lie · jam · mate

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — an aim
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. object — to protest
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. march — the month
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. march — music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. march — the month
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — a thing
  24. snap — to click

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