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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bat — the animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pit — in a race
  14. snap — to click
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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