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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rash · foot · toast · arm · rush · safe · clip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. clip — to cut
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rash — a series
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rash — hasty
  20. clip — a video
  21. rush — hurry
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. clip — for paper
  24. safe — out of danger

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