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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
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: track · fan · craft · chip · snap · bear · lie · tube

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. track — a song
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — to keep track
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lie — to recline
  7. snap — to click
  8. track — a path
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. craft — boats
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. tube — a container
  22. chip — to eat
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bear — the animal

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