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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — to get on
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. clip — to cut
  7. craft — a skill
  8. net — for catching
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — for paper
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. net — after costs
  18. clip — a video
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. net — in sport

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