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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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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: content · bore · chip · file · face · wind · jam · craft

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wind — moving air
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bore — to drill
  6. craft — boats
  7. face — to confront
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. file — a line of people
  10. content — the amount
  11. file — a document
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wind — moving air
  15. face — part of the head
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. chip — for betting
  19. file — a tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. face — to point toward
  23. craft — a skill
  24. content — happy

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