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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 120 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: bay · board · chip · present · pop · craft · nail · net

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. net — after costs
  5. chip — for betting
  6. present — there
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. net — for catching
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pop — soda
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. net — in sport
  20. board — to get on
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. pop — music

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