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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · content · chip · mark · nail · mouse · saw · craft

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. content — the amount
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lie — to recline
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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