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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: chip · bulb · ground · craft · coach · date · object · arm

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ground — crushed
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. object — an aim
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ground — the earth
  9. object — to protest
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — a thing
  14. ground — a position
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. date — the fruit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chip — for betting

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