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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
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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 · fine · mine · field · sharp · safe · net · mug

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. field — farmland
  3. chip — to eat
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mug — a cup
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. field — a subject
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — in sport
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. net — after costs
  22. field — for sport
  23. mug — a face
  24. net — for catching

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