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

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. file — a document
  4. rock — a stone
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. capital — money
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. game — wild animals
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — a match
  17. bank — of a river
  18. capital — a city
  19. bank — for money
  20. file — a line of people
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rock — music

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