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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. capital — money
  7. firm — a company
  8. wake — a trail
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. firm — decided
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to click
  14. capital — a city
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — steady
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — to sink

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