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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: pass · cell · chip · bark · current · suit · craft · arm

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. current — happening now
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cell — in biology
  11. current — of water
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pass — a permit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. chip — for betting
  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