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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: mug · racket · arm · club · last · lean · suit · craft

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. lean — thin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. last — finally
  6. craft — boats
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — to go on
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. club — a group
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — final
  18. lean — to bend
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mug — a cup
  24. racket — for tennis

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