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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · bore · key · arm · craft · rule · wind · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. craft — a skill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wind — moving air
  7. key — the most important part
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. key — in music
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bore — to drill
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rule — government
  18. squash — the sport
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rule — a law

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