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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: season · arm · row · stick · pitch · scale · kick · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. season — in sport
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. row — a line
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — in music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. scale — for weighing

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