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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: march · object · plane · bore · saw · mouse · craft · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. bore — to drill
  6. object — an aim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. march — the month
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — to protest

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