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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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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: fork · mate · bay · swing · craft · leaves · net · chip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. net — in sport
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mate — a partner
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — in golf
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. swing — to play on
  22. craft — boats
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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