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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · roll · mouse · snap · kick · ruler

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to click
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. kick — in football
  7. craft — boats
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. roll — a list
  18. ruler — for measuring

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