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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 · suit · row · can · sharp · safe · leaves · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. season — in sport
  11. row — to paddle
  12. chip — to eat
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. can — a tin
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — a line
  23. chip — for betting
  24. can — a tin

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