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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: pass · chip · craft · arm · straw · leaves · bulb · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pass — a permit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — boats
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. chip — to eat
  15. snap — to click
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. leaves — of a tree

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