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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 · mark · pop · cap · court · safe · lean · rule

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rule — a law
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mark — a grade
  10. court — of a king
  11. rule — government
  12. cap — of ice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lean — thin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pop — music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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