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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · nail · safe · press · rule · plane · clip · pitcher

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. press — a publisher
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. clip — for paper
  8. press — to push
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. clip — to cut
  17. chip — to eat
  18. clip — a video
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. press — newspapers

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