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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 120 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 · hide · can · craft · safe · last · cell · wound

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. last — finally
  3. cell — a phone
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — boats
  9. wound — an injury
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. last — final
  14. craft — a skill
  15. last — to go on
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. chip — for betting
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cell — in biology
  20. can — to be able to
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hide — to keep secret

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