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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mark — a trace
  5. spell — magic
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. spell — a short time
  13. last — finally
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bass — low music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. last — final
  21. bass — the fish
  22. last — to go on
  23. spell — letters
  24. craft — boats

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