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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: saw · fork · chest · deal · net · chip · bay · craft

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. deal — to handle
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chest — a box
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chest — of your body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. net — for catching
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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