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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: root · craft · lie · arm · calf · pitch · fine · wave

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fine — high quality
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — the cause
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fine — all right
  20. root — of a plant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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