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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · rash · hide · craft · kick · mark · band · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rash — hasty
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. mark — a trace
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. kick — in football
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. band — a music group
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. craft — boats

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