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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — ground
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mug — to rob
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mug — a face
  9. land — a country
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mug — a cup
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stand — to bear
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. snap — to click
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. safe — a strongbox

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