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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: present · jam · root · foot · sharp · snap · kid · mug

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. present — there
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mug — a cup
  7. kid — to tease
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. kid — child
  10. mug — a face
  11. root — the cause
  12. mug — to rob
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. root — of a word
  15. foot — a measure
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. root — of a plant
  18. present — a gift
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. present — the time now
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to click

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