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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. sharp — clever
  4. chip — for betting
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. clip — for paper
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. key — for a lock
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hand — help
  17. pound — a weight
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. chip — to eat
  20. clip — a video
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. key — in music
  24. hand — in cards

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