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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: snap · swing · tear · firm · last · craft · calf · can

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. last — to go on
  4. tear — to rip
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. swing — music
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. last — final
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. swing — in golf
  15. firm — decided
  16. tear — from crying
  17. swing — to play on
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. can — to be able to
  23. last — finally
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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