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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spring — a coil
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mark — a trace
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. object — to protest
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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