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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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468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — to eat
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rest — a break
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — for betting
  12. perch — the fish
  13. craft — boats
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  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