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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: pop · wake · lean · chip · suit · pit · craft · stick

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pop — soda
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lean — thin
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. craft — boats
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pop — music
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a skill
  24. chip — to eat

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