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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. suit — in cards
  5. root — of a word
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — a trail
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. race — humankind
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. race — a contest
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. race — the arms race
  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