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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: chip · mine · board · mark · safe · firm · pitcher · bear

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — to get on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. board — a committee
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — decided
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mine — for digging
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — a trace
  18. firm — a company
  19. chip — to eat
  20. firm — steady
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mark — to pay attention

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