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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.

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: tube · mate · craft · mark · chip · fork · rock · hand

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. craft — boats
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hand — help
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — music
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. tube — a container
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. hand — in cards

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