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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: craft · foot · squash · mark · board · arm · rule · mate

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mate — a partner
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — a committee
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. board — to get on
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — boats
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rule — a law
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rule — government
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — to rule out

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