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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: rash · snap · land · sharp · bear · craft · suit · mug

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. sharp — clever
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rash — a series
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — to rob
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bear — the animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. land — a country
  21. craft — boats
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  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