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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. staff — employees
  3. wake — a trail
  4. chip — to eat
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. chip — for betting
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — boats
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. clip — for paper
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — a video
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. clip — to cut
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. staff — a stick
  24. plane — a tool

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