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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — to be able to
  5. season — of the year
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pop — to visit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pop — soda
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. ball — a dance
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stem — to come from
  19. snap — to click
  20. can — a tin
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — music

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