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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: arm · mouse · craft · march · suit · date · jam · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. craft — a skill
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — in cards
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. suit — to fit
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — clothes
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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