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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: saw · mate · present · last · safe · snap · toast · bear

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — the time now
  4. mate — a partner
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — a gift
  7. bear — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. snap — to click
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. last — to go on
  16. toast — bread
  17. present — there
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. last — finally
  20. mate — a friend
  21. last — final
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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