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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: squash · bank · rule · pound · craft · cabinet · arm · track

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. track — a path
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bank — of a river
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — for money
  10. craft — boats
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — a law
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rule — government
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — a skill
  24. squash — to crush

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