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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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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. suit — in cards
  3. craft — boats
  4. face — to confront
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — a skill
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. face — part of the head
  17. roll — a list
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to point toward
  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