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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.

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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: lash · arm · cell · key · craft · bark · bulb · plane

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. key — in music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bark — to shout
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. plane — a tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. craft — boats

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