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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: craft · wake · content · deal · spell · cue · chip · firm

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. cue — for pool
  4. firm — steady
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cue — a hint
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chip — for betting
  11. firm — decided
  12. craft — a skill
  13. spell — magic
  14. content — happy
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cue — a signal
  17. content — the amount
  18. spell — letters
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. deal — a big deal

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