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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.

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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. craft — boats
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — there
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. face — part of the head
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. present — a gift
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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