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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
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: chip · fork · safe · drill · can · foot · field · leaves

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — a practice
  3. field — for sport
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. field — a subject
  6. drill — army training
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fork — in a road
  10. drill — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. field — farmland
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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