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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.

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: snap · safe · bound · spring · pit · mine · stem · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. snap — to click
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bound — tied together
  13. spring — the season
  14. mine — for digging
  15. spring — a coil
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. spring — of water
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stem — to come from
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bound — certain

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