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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 · wave · board · bulb · craft · ruler · nail · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. board — to get on
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — a committee

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