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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. spell — magic
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — steady
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. snap — to click
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rock — a stone
  21. spring — the season
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. firm — decided

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