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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: cabinet · foot · sharp · rash · board · arm · temple · spell

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spell — letters
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. sharp — clever
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — to get on
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — hasty
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spell — a short time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. board — a committee
  22. spell — magic
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. sharp — exactly

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