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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: mug · snap · rush · safe · lean · pitch · stem · tube

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. lean — thin
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — a container
  8. stem — to come from
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. snap — to click
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rush — hurry
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lean — to bend

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