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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · ball · race · swing · safe · ground · track · chip

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ground — a position
  3. race — a contest
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ground — the earth
  8. track — a song
  9. ball — a dance
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. race — humankind
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — boats
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ground — crushed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. race — the arms race

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