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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bass — low music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bass — the fish
  15. key — the most important part
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. plane — a tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. key — in music
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. chip — to eat
  24. craft — a skill

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