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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 120 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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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 · leaves · fork · chip · straw · sharp · stand · land

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. land — a country
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chip — to eat
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. land — to come down
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. land — ground
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fork — in a road
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. sharp — clever

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