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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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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: firm · row · staff · spring · present · snap · object · safe

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. present — there
  3. firm — a company
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. present — the time now
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. spring — the season
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — a gift
  11. row — a line
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. staff — a stick
  16. spring — of water
  17. object — to protest
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. snap — to click
  20. firm — decided
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — steady
  23. spring — a coil
  24. staff — employees

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