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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. board — to get on
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. craft — a skill
  7. kid — child
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a committee
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — shares

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