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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — to fit
  7. key — the most important part
  8. craft — a skill
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. key — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. net — in sport
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — for catching
  22. craft — boats
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. net — after costs

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