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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: board · scale · fine · safe · rush · chip · bat · mouse

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. scale — size or range
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. board — a committee
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — to get on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — to hurry

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