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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: row · present · safe · deal · chip · chest · rush · bowl

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. present — the time now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — hurry
  17. present — a gift
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chest — a box
  20. row — to paddle
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. deal — an agreement
  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