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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · cue · lean · present · pit · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pit — a hole
  9. present — there
  10. cue — for pool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lean — thin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pit — in a race
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to rest against

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