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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bear — the animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. file — a line of people
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. craft — a skill
  8. face — to confront
  9. key — the most important part
  10. face — to point toward
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. file — a tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. file — a document
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — for a lock
  21. face — part of the head
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. key — in music
  24. bear — the animal

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