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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rest — what's left
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rest — a break
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mine — for digging
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pound — a weight

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