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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: safe · arm · wind · scale · craft · mark · racket · bear

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. craft — a skill
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mark — a grade
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. craft — boats
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wind — moving air

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