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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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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: straw · key · arm · shower · mark · stand · plane · ball

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mark — a trace
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — a tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — on your feet

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