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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chip — for betting
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. spell — magic
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — a position
  9. snap — to click
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — letters
  12. vault — a safe
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ground — crushed
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chip — to eat
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spell — a short time
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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