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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: suit · craft · cap · wound · pit · saw · firm · arm

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pit — in a race
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. firm — decided
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — a company
  17. cap — a hat
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. firm — steady
  21. suit — clothes
  22. craft — boats
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — a hole

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