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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. staff — employees
  3. squash — to crush
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to click
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. staff — a stick
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — employees
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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