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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: kick · arm · mine · face · craft · current · rash · jam

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. craft — boats
  6. mine — for digging
  7. face — to confront
  8. current — of water
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. face — to point toward
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. kick — in football
  24. jam — in traffic

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