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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 120 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: march · craft · key · temple · racket · chip · present · arm

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. craft — a skill
  5. march — the month
  6. chip — to eat
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. march — music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. key — the most important part
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. present — there
  16. march — the month
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. present — the time now
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. racket — for tennis

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