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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. net — in sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — the season
  7. snap — to click
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — after costs
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. net — for catching
  15. mark — a grade
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — to pay attention

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