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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · bat · stand · leaves · bear · arm · mark · sharp

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. key — in music
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mark — a trace
  24. key — the most important part

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