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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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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: craft · fine · snap · nail · chip · last · roll · chair

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. snap — to click
  13. last — to go on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. roll — a list
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fine — high quality
  20. last — finally
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. last — final
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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