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

Word bank: craft · content · pass · bay · snap · wave · mug · dip

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mug — a face
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. snap — to click
  8. craft — boats
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mug — a cup
  18. content — happy
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. content — the amount
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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