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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 · chip · pit · rest · track · board · rock · leaves

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rock — music
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. track — a song
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rest — a break
  14. chip — for betting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. board — a committee
  17. track — a path
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. chip — to eat
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. board — to get 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