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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.

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: leaves · scale · pound · jam · arm · craft · game · bowl

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. craft — boats
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pound — a weight
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. scale — size or range
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. game — a match
  24. craft — a skill

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