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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. track — a path
  3. net — after costs
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a song
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — to fit
  15. net — for catching
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cap — a hat
  23. net — in sport
  24. track — to keep track

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