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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 · pit · row · craft · straw · bore · sharp · rest

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chip — to eat
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. row — to paddle
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. row — a line
  10. pit — in a race
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bore — to tire
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rest — a break
  18. bore — to drill
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chip — for betting
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a hole
  24. craft — boats

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