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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: safe · bank · rule · snap · pit · calf · roll · rash

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bank — of a river
  3. snap — to click
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. roll — a list
  7. rule — a law
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rash — hasty
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pit — in a race
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — government
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rash — a series
  23. pit — a hole
  24. roll — on a roll

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