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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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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: bank · land · foot · snap · season · arm · craft · mate

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. season — of the year
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mate — to breed
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bank — of a river
  13. craft — a skill
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — a friend
  18. craft — boats
  19. snap — to click
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. land — to come down
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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