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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. deal — to handle
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bass — the fish
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a committee
  11. bass — low music
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bass — the instrument

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