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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. craft — boats
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. staff — employees
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ball — a dance
  14. board — a committee
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. perch — the fish
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. snap — to click
  20. staff — a stick
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — to get on
  24. squash — to crush

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