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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.

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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
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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: rush · bass · prune · wave · craft · game · deal · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. craft — boats
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — a match
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bass — low music
  24. arm — part of the body

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