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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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