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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 116 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: track · present · safe · object · chip · degree · can · straw

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. object — an aim
  4. present — a gift
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a path
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — to eat
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — a thing
  14. degree — from a university
  15. present — there
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. degree — temperature
  18. present — the time now
  19. object — to protest
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. track — to keep track
  22. chip — for betting
  23. can — to be able to
  24. degree — an amount

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