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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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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: degree · chip · snap · saw · rash · staff · toast · bay

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. chip — to eat
  6. degree — an amount
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. toast — bread
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — from a university
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. chip — for betting
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. degree — temperature
  23. staff — employees
  24. rash — hasty

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