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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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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: snap · safe · wave · jam · net · bowl · bound · file

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. net — for catching
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. file — a line of people
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. file — a document
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — certain
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. net — in sport
  20. bound — tied together
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. file — a tool
  23. net — after costs
  24. safe — a strongbox

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