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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: fork · safe · press · bay · mark · squash · march · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. march — the month
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mark — a grade
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. squash — to crush
  16. march — the month
  17. squash — the sport
  18. march — music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — newspapers
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — a trace

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