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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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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: board · drill · safe · jam · chest · prune · cabinet · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — a practice
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. board — to get on
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chest — a box
  21. drill — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chest — of your body
  24. snap — to click

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