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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: tube · jam · racket · safe · sharp · chip · spring · fan

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spring — of water
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — for betting
  11. sharp — clever
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. tube — the underground
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spring — the season
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. spring — a coil
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. tube — a container
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — in traffic

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