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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 · shower · root · jam · wave · craft · pop · suit

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — soda
  6. chip — to eat
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — in cards
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. shower — rain
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pop — to visit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pop — music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — clothes

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