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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: saw · arm · board · wake · craft · jam · dip · present

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. craft — a skill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — a trail
  12. saw — the tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. present — there
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  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