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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: bulb · bass · can · arm · firm · jam · craft · game

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — low music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. game — a match
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — steady
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bass — the fish

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