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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pass — a permit
  12. roll — a list
  13. snap — to click
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pound — a weight
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lean — thin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. last — final
  21. lean — to bend
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. date — on the calendar

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