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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. hand — help
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — to fit

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