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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. spring — of water
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a word
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — a tin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. spring — a coil
  14. root — the cause
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. root — of a plant
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — the season
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to click
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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