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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. craft — boats
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pop — music
  16. kick — in football
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — music
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pop — soda
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. prune — to trim

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