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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. chip — for betting
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. craft — boats
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pass — a permit
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cell — a phone
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — in biology
  24. date — on the calendar

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