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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 120 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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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: safe · snap · suit · sharp · clip · pit · cabinet · leaves

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. snap — to click
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. clip — a video
  9. pit — in a race
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pit — a hole
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. suit — clothes
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. sharp — with an edge

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