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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: file · craft · suit · chip · can · mouse · race · cabinet

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chip — to eat
  4. file — a document
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. race — humankind
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. can — a tin
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. file — a tool
  18. race — a contest
  19. file — a line of people
  20. race — the arms race
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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