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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. march — the month
  9. game — a match
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. key — the most important part
  13. game — wild animals
  14. firm — a company
  15. march — music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. march — the month
  19. firm — steady
  20. rest — what's left
  21. firm — decided
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rest — a break

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