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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: bass · mate · scale · arm · straw · bowl · craft · deal

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bass — low music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mate — a partner
  12. craft — boats
  13. scale — in music
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bass — the instrument

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