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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: nail · bat · lean · pit · foot · board · craft · temple

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bat — the animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pit — a hole
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. board — a committee
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. board — to get on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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