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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to click
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. drill — army training
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. can — to be able to

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