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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. track — a path
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fork — in a road
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chip — to eat
  14. track — a song
  15. game — a match
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. craft — boats
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mark — a trace
  21. game — wild animals
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. hand — help
  24. craft — a skill

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