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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: object · saw · safe · mark · race · craft · roll · sharp

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. object — to protest
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. roll — a list
  8. object — an aim
  9. roll — a cake
  10. object — a thing
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. sharp — clever
  14. craft — boats
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — humankind
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mark — a grade
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mark — a trace

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