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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: snap · rest · key · safe · march · wind · cell · last

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. snap — to click
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. last — finally
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. key — for a lock
  16. march — the month
  17. key — in music
  18. rest — a break
  19. last — to go on
  20. march — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — a phone
  23. last — final
  24. wind — to turn a key

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