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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: stem · safe · bass · snap · kid · pop · kick · cue

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pop — to visit
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — soda
  7. cue — a signal
  8. kick — in football
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pop — music
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bass — the fish
  19. kid — child
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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