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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
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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 · capital · craft · rest · bowl · bound · calf · plane

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. capital — a city
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — a skill
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. craft — boats
  14. capital — money
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bowl — to roll
  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