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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cap — a hat
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — a face
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mug — to rob
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. cap — of ice
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — a lid
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. craft — a skill

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