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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · chair · straw · lie · chip · clip · lean · rush

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. clip — to cut
  13. chip — for betting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rush — hurry
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. clip — a video
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lie — to recline
  24. clip — for paper

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