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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: fall · safe · fork · deal · straw · chip · ball · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. board — a committee
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chip — to eat

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