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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: key · arm · tube · stand · calf · leaves · coach · fork

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stand — to bear
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tube — the underground
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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