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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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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: chip · nail · wind · game · craft · bat · pitcher · safe

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chip — to eat
  10. game — a match
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — boats
  15. bat — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. nail — for a hammer

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