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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: nail · mate · content · bore · safe · craft · chip · file

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chip — for betting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. craft — boats
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. content — the amount
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mate — a partner
  20. file — a document
  21. content — happy
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. file — a tool
  24. craft — a skill

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