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

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a skill
  8. degree — from a university
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rest — a break
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rest — what's left
  14. degree — temperature
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bass — low music
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — boats
  20. toast — bread
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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