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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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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: lie · last · safe · chip · jam · bay · craft · cell

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chip — for betting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — a skill
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — boats
  17. cell — in biology
  18. last — final
  19. cell — a phone
  20. chip — to eat
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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