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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. snap — to click
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. press — newspapers
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — happy
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spring — the season
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. content — the amount
  18. press — to push
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. press — a publisher
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. content — videos and posts

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