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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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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: craft · date · pit · chip · saw · bark · row · bay

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. chip — for betting
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bark — to shout

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