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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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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: key · nail · file · arm · temple · bay · deal · march

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. march — the month
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. file — a line of people
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. file — a document
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. file — a tool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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