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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: spell · craft · tube · snap · safe · toast · stand · mate

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mate — to breed
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. snap — to click
  11. spell — a short time
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spell — letters
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — boats
  18. tube — a container
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. toast — bread
  24. spell — magic

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