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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: spell · craft · rock · date · season · calf · arm · clip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — a short time
  3. clip — for paper
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. rock — music
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. clip — to cut
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. season — in sport
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. spell — letters
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rock — a stone
  22. spell — magic
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. clip — a video

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