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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. craft — a skill
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. last — to go on
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. snap — to click
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — an aim
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. march — music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. last — finally
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. march — the month
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ball — a dance
  22. tube — the underground
  23. object — to protest
  24. last — final

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