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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: ball · craft · arm · pound · bay · firm · mug · date

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — steady
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. craft — a skill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — boats
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. date — the fruit

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