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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mate — a partner
  4. key — in music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. snap — to click
  9. mate — a friend
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — the most important part
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — a grade
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mate — to breed
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. mark — a trace
  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