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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: chip · foot · cap · craft · pound · staff · nail · can

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chip — to eat
  7. staff — employees
  8. cap — a lid
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pound — a weight
  11. staff — employees
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — boats
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. can — to be able to
  24. foot — a measure

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