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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: fan · arm · hide · saw · firm · spell · craft · chest

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — magic
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — a skill
  8. firm — steady
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chest — of your body
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — a company
  17. spell — letters
  18. chest — a box
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — a short time
  23. craft — boats
  24. saw — the tool

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