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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mate · rest · snap · safe · fan · track · pitcher · current

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rest — a break
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a path
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to click
  13. current — electric
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. track — a song
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — a partner
  20. current — of water
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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