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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. track — a path
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. firm — steady
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. firm — a company
  14. track — a song
  15. bass — low music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bass — the fish

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