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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — the tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. craft — boats
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. snap — to click
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wake — a trail
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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