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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. mate — to breed
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mate — a friend
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. snap — to click
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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