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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.

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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: stand · deal · chip · land · lean · safe · stick · saw

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — ground
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lean — to bend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. land — a country
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chip — for betting
  21. land — to come down
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stand — to bear

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