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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. craft — boats
  3. rush — hurry
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pop — music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. suit — in cards
  15. roll — a cake
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — a list
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pop — soda
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. snap — to click
  24. pop — to visit

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