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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 · stem · jam · roll · bear · rest · date · arm

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. snap — to click
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rest — what's left
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. date — the fruit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. roll — a list
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. roll — a cake
  24. date — on the calendar

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