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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a great time
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. craft — boats
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — the season
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. calf — of the leg

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