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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: arm · pitcher · craft · cap · wake · plane · stick · pit

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pit — in a race
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — boats
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. arm — part of the body

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