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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — a path
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — in sport
  10. sharp — clever
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — a song
  15. game — wild animals
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. net — for catching
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. chip — to eat
  21. game — a match
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chip — for betting

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