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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 120 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 · last · bound · safe · chip · bat · fan · bowl

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bound — certain
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — to go on
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. last — final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. last — finally
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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