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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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Word bank
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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: safe · saw · rash · straw · chip · chair · swing · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chair — a leader
  7. saw — the tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — to eat
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rash — hasty
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rash — a series
  18. root — the cause
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. swing — music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. swing — to play on

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