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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: object · mate · firm · arm · foot · key · temple · charge

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — decided
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — the most important part
  7. object — to protest
  8. key — in music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mate — a friend
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. object — an aim
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — for a lock
  17. firm — steady
  18. object — a thing
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — a price
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. firm — a company
  24. temple — a place of worship

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