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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · mouse · trunk · safe · snap · bark · bass · bat

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to click
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bat — the animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bat — for baseball

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