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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.

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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: board · saw · rock · nail · craft · chip · bulb · hand

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. hand — in cards
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rock — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. board — a committee
  15. craft — a skill
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — a stone
  24. board — to get on

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