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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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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 · coach · land · hide · saw · bulb · safe · ground

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ground — the earth
  7. land — to come down
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ground — a position
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ground — crushed
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. land — ground
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. land — a country
  24. safe — out of danger

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