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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. current — of water
  3. craft — boats
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. club — a group
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — a skill
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cap — of ice
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — a lid
  19. current — electric
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. club — for golf
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bark — to shout

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