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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 116 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: cabinet · chip · craft · pitch · wax · present · plane · pop

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. chip — for betting
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. craft — boats
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — completely
  13. present — a gift
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pop — soda
  16. wax — to grow
  17. chip — to eat
  18. plane — a tool
  19. present — there
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — to visit
  24. plane — in geometry

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