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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: last · fall · key · bear · arm · temple · tube · racket

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. last — final
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — the most important part
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. tube — a container
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. key — for a lock
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fall — the season
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. last — to go on
  24. tube — the underground

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