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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. craft — boats
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. present — the time now
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — for betting
  16. craft — a skill
  17. present — there
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fork — in a road
  21. present — a gift
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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