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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: straw · trunk · key · mark · date · arm · craft · can

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. can — a tin
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. key — the most important part
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — a grade
  13. key — in music
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. date — the fruit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — for a lock
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. date — on the calendar

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