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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. craft — boats
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lean — thin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. branch — a division
  15. lean — to bend
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. craft — a skill
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. snap — to click

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