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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. chip — for betting
  7. staff — a stick
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. tube — a container
  15. present — there
  16. staff — employees
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — boats
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. present — the time now
  22. chip — to eat
  23. present — a gift
  24. wax — for sculpting

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