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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lie — to recline
  3. snap — to click
  4. craft — boats
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. land — to come down
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. land — a country
  13. sharp — clever
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. land — ground
  18. craft — a skill

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