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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fine — high quality
  3. craft — boats
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — a company
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hand — in cards
  11. club — a group
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. hand — help
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — all right
  20. chip — to eat
  21. row — to paddle
  22. firm — steady
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. craft — a skill

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