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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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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: staff · board · rest · safe · wind · chip · rule · stick

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chip — for betting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. rule — government
  6. board — a committee
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — a law
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. chip — to eat
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rest — a break
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — to get on
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. staff — employees
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — to rule out

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