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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. band — a music group
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — music
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bound — tied together
  18. band — a ring
  19. root — of a word
  20. pass — a permit
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. arm — part of the body

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