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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — a skill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. craft — boats
  16. saw — the tool
  17. object — an aim
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. chip — to eat
  20. current — happening now
  21. tube — a container
  22. chair — a leader
  23. tube — the underground
  24. object — to protest

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