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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: foot · key · present · arm · row · mate · band · rush

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. key — the most important part
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. key — in music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rush — hurry
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. key — for a lock
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mate — a partner
  17. band — a music group
  18. present — there
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — to breed
  22. band — a ring
  23. row — a line
  24. foot — 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