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

Word bank: ruler · chest · club · safe · row · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. club — a group
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chip — for betting
  7. club — for dancing
  8. chest — a box
  9. row — to paddle
  10. club — for golf
  11. row — a line
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chest — of your body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. safe — out of danger

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