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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. capital — money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. kick — in football
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. snap — to click
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. capital — a city
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mouse — the animal

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