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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cap — a hat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — a group
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. club — for golf
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cap — a lid
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. club — for dancing
  23. roll — a cake
  24. leaves — of a tree

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