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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — all right
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — to bear
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. craft — boats
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. craft — a skill
  11. foot — a measure
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. march — music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. march — the month
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. march — the month

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