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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. snap — to click
  3. stem — to come from
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. present — the time now
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. present — there
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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