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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kid — child
  3. craft — a skill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — in control
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bear — the animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — to trim
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. swing — music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. suit — to fit
  18. swing — to play on
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. craft — boats

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