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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: game · stick · craft · mark · board · chip · rock · safe

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — boats
  8. board — a committee
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. chip — for betting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. craft — a skill
  24. 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