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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: pop · last · rush · face · bore · rash · snap · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pop — music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pop — soda
  6. bore — to drill
  7. face — to confront
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. face — to point toward
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rash — a series
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. last — final
  15. pop — to visit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. snap — to click
  18. last — to go on
  19. craft — boats
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. last — finally
  24. rush — to hurry

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