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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · craft · board · drill · staff · safe · club · ground

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. content — the amount
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. content — happy
  8. staff — a stick
  9. drill — a practice
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. board — to get on
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. club — for dancing
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — a position
  18. club — a group
  19. staff — employees
  20. club — for golf
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. staff — employees

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