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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: safe · mate · chip · snap · bulb · bowl · rash · season

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rash — a series
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. season — of the year
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to click
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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