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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: tear · chip · safe · can · clip · season · cue · rash

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rash — a series
  7. season — of the year
  8. can — a tin
  9. tear — from crying
  10. clip — a video
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cue — a hint
  14. clip — for paper
  15. can — a tin
  16. clip — to cut
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tear — to rip
  22. chip — to eat
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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