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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: pitcher · fork · leaves · kick · craft · jam · date · arm

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — boats
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. kick — in football
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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