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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to click
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. band — a ring
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — in a road
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a music group
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. staff — employees

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