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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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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: date · pit · saw · bark · tube · arm · craft · toast

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — a container
  11. bark — to shout
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. toast — bread
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. craft — boats
  24. pit — in a race

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