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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 · fine · safe · saw · craft · game · sharp · rule

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rule — government
  4. sharp — clever
  5. game — a match
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. game — wild animals
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — boats
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fine — all right
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a partner
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mate — to breed
  23. saw — the tool
  24. game — a kind of play

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