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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: bowl · hand · date · bank · ground · bulb · safe · chip

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ground — crushed
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chip — to eat
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a dish

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