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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spell — letters
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — magic
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bass — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. craft — a skill
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bass — low music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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