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

Word bank: safe · firm · lean · band · prune · snap · ball · cell

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — a company
  4. lean — thin
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a dance
  10. band — a music group
  11. cell — a phone
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — to bend
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. band — a ring
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. ball — a great time
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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