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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · staff · craft · rest · march · bowl

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. march — the month
  3. rest — what's left
  4. march — music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. chip — to eat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chip — for betting
  14. march — the month
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. craft — boats

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