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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: drill · club · game · row · kick · craft · safe · rash

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. craft — boats
  2. drill — army training
  3. row — to paddle
  4. drill — the tool
  5. game — a match
  6. craft — a skill
  7. row — a line
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — hasty
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kick — in football
  17. club — for dancing
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. club — a group
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. game — wild animals
  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