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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to click
  4. clip — for paper
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bear — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spring — a coil
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rock — music
  15. spring — the season
  16. clip — a video
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spring — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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