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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: craft · lie · safe · cold · hand · game · bore · branch

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cold — not warm
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. branch — a division
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hand — in cards
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — boats
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cold — an illness

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