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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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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: craft · firm · arm · calf · jam · pit · bat · kick

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. firm — steady
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. firm — decided
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. craft — boats
  13. firm — a company
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pit — a hole
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — in a race
  19. kick — in football
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. kick — with a leg

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