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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. root — the cause
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chip — for betting
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spell — letters
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. craft — boats
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chip — to eat
  14. root — of a word
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. spell — magic
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spell — a short time
  24. can — a tin

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