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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mug — a cup
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. cue — for pool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cue — a signal
  19. scale — in music
  20. stem — to come from
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — completely
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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