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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — of water
  9. chip — for betting
  10. clip — a video
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. clip — for paper
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — happening now
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. clip — to cut
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. current — electric

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