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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: chip · staff · ball · mug · firm · stick · cold · craft

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. mug — a face
  3. staff — employees
  4. cold — an illness
  5. craft — boats
  6. mug — to rob
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mug — a cup
  13. staff — employees
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — a company
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cold — not warm
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — steady

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