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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: cap · mark · chip · hide · craft · bulb · present · snap

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cap — a lid
  4. present — there
  5. chip — to eat
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chip — for betting
  8. present — a gift
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bulb — for light
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — boats
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — the time now
  20. cap — of ice
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. snap — to click

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