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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: suit · snap · roll · clip · bear · net · craft · hide

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — a skill
  3. roll — a list
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. clip — to cut
  18. roll — a cake
  19. snap — to click
  20. suit — clothes
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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