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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: file · chip · object · safe · band · dip · saw · fine

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. object — to protest
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. file — a tool
  11. band — a ring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a music group
  15. object — a thing
  16. chip — to eat
  17. dip — to sink
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — high quality
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — an aim
  24. saw — the tool

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