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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rest — a break
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — for catching
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — electricity
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. charge — a price
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — in control
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. snap — to click

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