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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · leaves · dip · mate · rush · pop · saw · snap

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pop — music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mate — to breed
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mate — a partner
  17. snap — to click
  18. rush — hurry
  19. dip — to sink
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. leaves — lets stay

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