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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: spring · rash · chip · snap · bore · sharp · safe · bat

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. spring — of water
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bore — to drill
  13. sharp — clever
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rash — a series
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — the animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bore — gave birth

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