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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: jam · foot · arm · row · craft · mug · bore · roll

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. row — a line
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mug — a face
  7. craft — boats
  8. roll — a cake
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. row — to paddle
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bore — to drill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to tire
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. roll — a list
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. foot — a measure
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. row — a quarrel

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