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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: mate · safe · chair · craft · foot · kick · rash · capital

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mate — a partner
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chair — a leader
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mate — to breed
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rash — a series

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