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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · craft · perch · content · arm · bass · fine · lash

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bass — low music
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. content — happy
  16. craft — boats
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. content — the amount
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. perch — for a bird
  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