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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: arm · cabinet · bound · sharp · clip · scale · season · craft

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. clip — to cut
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bound — obliged
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bound — tied together
  10. season — in sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bound — certain
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. clip — a video
  17. season — of the year
  18. sharp — clever
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. scale — in music
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. craft — boats

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