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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 · capital · bear · chip · track · land · straw · suit

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. land — a country
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. capital — money
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. chip — to eat
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — to fit
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. track — to keep track
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — a song

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