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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · snap · hand · root · ball · chest

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a dance
  4. chest — of your body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chest — a box
  8. snap — to click
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — of a word
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ball — a great time
  13. root — of a plant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — help
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ball — a round shape

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