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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: safe · fine · pound · bear · kid · mine · chip · stand

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. kid — child
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — all right

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