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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: stand · straw · key · track · pop · arm · toast · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — soda
  5. toast — bread
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stand — to bear
  8. track — a path
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. key — in music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. key — for a lock
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pop — music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. track — a song

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