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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 · arm · bat · capital · rash · safe · ground · swing

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — in golf
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. swing — music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. capital — a city
  17. rash — a series
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. swing — to play on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rash — hasty

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