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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. present — there
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. key — for a lock
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. present — the time now
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. present — a gift
  17. bound — tied together
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bound — certain
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stem — to come from

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