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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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to click
  5. staff — employees
  6. cap — a hat
  7. board — to get on
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rash — hasty
  11. last — finally
  12. staff — a stick
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cap — a lid
  21. board — a committee
  22. rash — a series
  23. last — final
  24. pit — a hole

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