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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 120 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
468
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: spell · content · tube · hand · lash · chip · craft · leaves

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. tube — a container
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hand — help
  10. spell — a short time
  11. chip — to eat
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. content — happy
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. chip — for betting
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — magic
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — boats
  24. content — the amount

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