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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: safe · saw · pitch · jam · mouse · snap · swing · spring

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pitch — completely
  15. snap — to click
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spring — of water
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. spring — the season
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. jam — in traffic

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