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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — boats
  7. fall — to drop
  8. roll — a cake
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — thin
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fall — the season
  14. saw — the tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. roll — a list
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lean — to bend
  24. leaves — of a tree

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