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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. fall — the season
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rash — a series
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. snap — to click
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. staff — employees
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — a grade

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