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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: bay · suit · can · saw · mug · prune · arm · craft

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — boats
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mug — a cup
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. craft — a skill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. prune — to trim
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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