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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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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: dip · safe · bark · chip · wave · tube · deal · snap

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chip — for betting
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bark — to shout
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. chip — to eat
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. snap — to click
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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