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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hand — in cards
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. hand — help
  9. content — the amount
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — a permit
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. present — there
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chip — for betting
  24. content — happy

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