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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
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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: wake · key · arm · suit · march · toast · ground · bear

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. toast — bread
  5. march — the month
  6. ground — the earth
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. march — the month
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ground — a position
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. march — music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. suit — clothes
  24. key — in music

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