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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. craft — a skill
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. march — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — in music
  11. march — the month
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. field — a subject
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. key — for a lock
  18. craft — boats
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — the month
  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