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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. chip — for betting
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. charge — in control
  14. fork — in a road
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. march — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. row — a line
  19. lie — to recline
  20. charge — a price
  21. craft — boats
  22. march — the month
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. march — the month

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