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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · craft · drill · band · arm · calf · leaves · bass

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — boats
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a music group
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. craft — a skill

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