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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · dip · ball · safe · degree · chip · land · can

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. degree — from a university
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. can — to be able to
  8. land — to come down
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. degree — temperature
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — ground
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — a country
  18. chip — to eat
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chip — for betting
  22. craft — boats
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. ball — a great time

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