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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — in control
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. chair — a leader
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — a break
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chip — in a computer

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