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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: swing · roll · jam · snap · safe · staff · wake · ball

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. roll — a list
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. roll — a cake
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to click
  10. swing — to play on
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. swing — music
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. staff — a stick
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wake — a trail
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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