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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bank — for money
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bank — of a river
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bear — the animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stem — to come from
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — a trace

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