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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
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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: craft · season · wound · mug · snap · scale · race · calf

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mug — a face
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to click
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mug — to rob
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. scale — size or range
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. scale — in music
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. race — humankind
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. wound — an injury
  24. race — a contest

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