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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 116 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: rock · safe · wave · snap · nail · fork · trunk · chip

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — a stone
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — to eat
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. snap — to click
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. fork — in a road
  24. nail — for a hammer

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