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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. snap — to click
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wake — a trail
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. toast — bread
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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