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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. track — a song
  3. key — the most important part
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. track — a path
  9. pop — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — to keep track
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chest — a box
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pop — soda
  18. rock — music

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