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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 · pop · craft · can · squash · ball · net · drill

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. drill — army training
  3. craft — a skill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pop — soda
  6. can — to be able to
  7. drill — a practice
  8. squash — the sport
  9. net — in sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — boats
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. net — for catching
  18. drill — the tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. net — after costs
  21. pop — music
  22. squash — to crush
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a dance

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