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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: safe · chair · snap · saw · tube · rash · pitcher · deal

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. tube — the underground
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rash — hasty
  6. tube — a container
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rash — a series
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. snap — to click

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