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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: safe · chip · rush · wave · tube · rash · rest · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rest — a break
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. tube — a container
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — a series
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rest — what's left
  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