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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: pit · safe · chip · spring · band · bark · squash · suit

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. squash — the sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — for betting
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — to crush
  15. spring — the season
  16. band — a ring
  17. pit — in a race
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. spring — of water
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bark — to shout

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