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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. file — a line of people
  6. capital — money
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — to tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. file — a document
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. dip — to sink
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. capital — a city
  23. bore — to drill
  24. dip — a sauce

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