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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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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: kick · chip · safe · chair · object · land · temple · craft

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. object — an aim
  7. land — ground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — to protest
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. land — to come down
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chip — for betting
  18. kick — in football
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. land — a country
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. object — a thing

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