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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · chip · land · bay · fan · safe · scale · mouse

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. land — ground
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fan — a supporter

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