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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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. craft — boats
  4. chip — to eat
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. key — the most important part
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. sharp — clever
  16. chip — for betting
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — for a lock
  19. board — to get on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. racket — for tennis

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