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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: bay · nail · rush · safe · spring · chip · saw · toast

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spring — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. chip — to eat
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. chip — for betting
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — bread
  17. spring — the season
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rush — hurry
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — a horse colour

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