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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. season — in sport
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — the time now
  7. mug — a face
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. snap — to click
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — to protest
  16. mug — to rob
  17. craft — boats
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mark — a grade
  20. object — an aim
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mark — a trace
  23. object — a thing
  24. present — a gift

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