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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 116 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 · straw · kick · rash · firm · pass · safe · can

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. firm — steady
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — a series
  8. chip — to eat
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — decided
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. kick — in football
  14. rash — hasty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. straw — a straw man

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