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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: date · jam · scale · rest · sharp · craft · firm · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — boats
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. date — the fruit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — decided
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. sharp — clever
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — to eat
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. firm — a company
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. scale — in music
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rest — what's left

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