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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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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: staff · safe · bass · fork · kid · chip · fine · face

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chip — for betting
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. fine — all right
  14. kid — to tease
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. face — part of the head
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. face — to confront
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. staff — employees
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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