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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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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: snap · safe · dip · sharp · rule · bat · prune · cue

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cue — a signal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rule — government
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bat — the animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rule — a law
  14. cue — a hint
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  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