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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — the month
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. toast — bread
  12. craft — boats
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. march — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. march — the month
  24. plane — an aircraft

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