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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: safe · ball · rock · season · chip · rule · date · straw

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rock — a stone
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. season — in sport
  21. rule — a law
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. season — of the year
  24. chip — to eat

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