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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: fork · chip · cap · fan · lean · ground · safe · craft

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ground — a position
  6. craft — boats
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lean — to bend
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — the earth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. cap — a hat
  24. safe — out of danger

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