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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 120 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: wake · spell · chip · craft · rock · rest · bay · nail

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spell — letters
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. spell — magic
  17. craft — boats
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — a trail
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rest — a break
  24. bay — a horse colour

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