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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. row — a line
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fall — to drop
  16. saw — the tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. row — to paddle
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fall — to drop

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