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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — goods
  3. ground — the earth
  4. snap — to click
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mate — a partner
  9. chest — a box
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chest — of your body
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chest — of your body
  24. safe — out of danger

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