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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: chip · wind · spring · safe · lean · craft · arm · board

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spring — of water
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — thin
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. board — a committee
  14. chip — for betting
  15. craft — boats
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. board — to get on
  24. craft — a skill

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