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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: temple · chest · lean · arm · foot · bank · craft · squash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lean — thin
  3. squash — the sport
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. craft — boats
  8. squash — to crush
  9. chest — of your body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — a skill
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chest — a box
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lean — to bend
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. foot — part of the body
  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