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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 · fork · saw · safe · ruler · suit · wound · capital

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chip — to eat
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fork — in a road

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