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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: craft · coach · ball · game · safe · snap

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. craft — boats
  3. game — wild animals
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. snap — to click
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. game — a match

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