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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · bulb · hand · arm · fork · craft · bay · coach

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. spell — a short time
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — letters
  20. fork — in a road
  21. spell — magic
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hand — 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