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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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 — in a computer
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — clothes
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. content — the amount
  12. row — a line
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. charge — in control
  19. tear — to rip
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chip — to eat
  23. content — happy
  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