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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: sharp · current · arm · lash · stick · craft · clip · last

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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 skill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — electric
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. current — happening now
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. last — finally
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. current — of water
  17. last — final
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. craft — boats
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. last — to go on
  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