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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 120 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: ruler · chip · dip · bank · safe · shower · track · capital

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. track — to keep track
  4. capital — money
  5. shower — rain
  6. dip — to sink
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — to eat
  10. track — a path
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bank — for money
  14. capital — a city
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a song
  22. shower — to wash
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ruler — for measuring

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