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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: safe · firm · snap · present · track · rule · wake · ruler

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. track — a song
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — a gift
  10. firm — a company
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. firm — decided
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. present — there
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rule — government
  21. present — the time now
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wake — a trail

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