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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: stick · craft · rock · pitcher · deal · roll · jam · chip

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rock — a stone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. craft — boats
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. chip — to eat
  21. roll — a list
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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