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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 · rock · toast · spring · date · nail · staff · bark

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rock — music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. date — the fruit
  9. toast — bread
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — of water
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. staff — employees
  17. spring — the season
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bark — to shout
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. staff — employees
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. chip — for betting

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