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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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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: saw · kid · safe · track · chip · bowl · board · bulb

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. kid — child
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — a song
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kid — to tease
  22. track — a path
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — to eat

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