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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: mark · safe · craft · land · chip · rock · row · foot

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. foot — a measure
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. craft — a skill
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. chip — for betting
  14. craft — boats
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — a trace
  18. row — a line
  19. land — to come down
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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