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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — to fit
  7. row — to paddle
  8. race — humankind
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. race — a contest
  12. row — a line
  13. suit — in cards
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fine — high quality
  24. arm — part of the body

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