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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · fan · snap · leaves · safe · bat · foot · bass

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. snap — to click
  11. bass — the fish
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. foot — a measure
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bat — in an idiom

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