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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. snap — to click
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spell — letters
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stand — to bear
  10. object — a thing
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mark — a grade
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. object — an aim
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. spell — magic
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — to protest

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