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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: craft · face · bulb · safe · hide · game · pop · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — boats
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. face — part of the head
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. pop — music
  15. game — a match
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pop — soda
  24. hide — to keep secret

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