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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: snap · rush · tube · safe · net · pop · dip · fine

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fine — high quality
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. net — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — after costs
  7. fine — all right
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — to sink
  11. snap — to click
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. net — for catching
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tube — a container
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. dip — a sauce

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