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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: arm · lash · scale · wake · tube · leaves · craft · ball

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. tube — a container
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. scale — size or range
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — boats
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. wake — a trail
  24. craft — a handicraft

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