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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: pop · nail · chair · rock · can · craft · mark · chip

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. can — a tin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. craft — a skill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pop — soda
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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