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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chip — for betting
  3. charge — a price
  4. craft — a skill
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — a path
  9. chip — to eat
  10. key — the most important part
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. key — in music
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. craft — boats
  16. track — to keep track
  17. key — for a lock
  18. squash — to crush
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — a song
  23. chair — a leader
  24. degree — temperature

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