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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fork — in a road
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a path
  5. chip — for betting
  6. can — to be able to
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chest — a box
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. craft — boats
  18. rest — a break
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — to keep track
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — what's left

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