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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: wind · safe · content · plane · snap · bay · hide · craft

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wind — moving air
  3. plane — a tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. snap — to click
  10. wind — moving air
  11. content — happy
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. content — the amount

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