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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 · pop · pitcher · pitch · rash · fan · bowl

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rash — hasty
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pop — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rash — a series
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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