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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. craft — boats
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — final
  5. bank — for money
  6. kick — in football
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cap — a lid
  15. last — finally
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to click
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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