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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: press · safe · chip · fork · club · hide

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. press — a publisher
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. press — to push
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. club — a group
  14. fork — in a road
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — newspapers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — a garden tool

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