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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 120 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: nail · rock · kid · foot · temple · game · craft · key

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. craft — a skill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. game — a match
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rock — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. key — for a lock
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. key — the most important part
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — a measure
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. key — in music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. game — wild animals
  23. craft — boats
  24. kid — child

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