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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. last — final
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. last — finally
  10. date — the fruit
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to click
  13. fine — all right
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. current — of water
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — a weight
  22. current — happening now
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. last — to go on

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