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

Word bank: arm · deal · object · track · kick · kid · craft · pound

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. track — a path
  4. object — an aim
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — boats
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pound — a weight
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kid — child
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kick — in football
  22. craft — a skill
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. kick — with a leg

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