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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
468
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 · charge · march · cabinet · key · temple · craft · band

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. charge — a price
  5. key — in music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — boats
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. march — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. charge — in control
  17. march — the month
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. band — a rubber band

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