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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: rest · safe · face · cue · net · pit · snap · plane

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — after costs
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cue — a hint
  6. plane — a tool
  7. net — for catching
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rest — a break
  14. snap — to click
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — part of the head
  19. cue — for pool
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pit — a hole
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. net — in sport

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