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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. craft — boats
  3. cold — not warm
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cold — an illness
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pop — soda
  20. snap — to click
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cold — the Cold War

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