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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: arm · jam · mate · mug · bowl · sharp · key · court

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. court — for sport
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. court — of law
  6. court — of a king
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. key — in music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mug — a face
  11. key — the most important part
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mug — to rob
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — a cup
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. key — for a lock

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