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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 120 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: nail · arm · rash · dip · mate · pitcher · deal · craft

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — boats
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mate — to breed
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to sink
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — a friend
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rash — a series
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. arm — part of the body
  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