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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. land — ground
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rest — a break
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. snap — to click
  11. bank — of a river
  12. spell — magic
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. land — a country
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spell — letters
  20. land — to come down
  21. rest — what's left
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bank — for money

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