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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
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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: cap · safe · suit · can · shower · chip · mine · present

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. shower — to wash
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. cap — a hat
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — in cards
  11. can — to be able to
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. present — there
  15. suit — to fit
  16. present — a gift
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cap — of ice
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. present — the time now
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a lid
  24. shower — rain

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