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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 120 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: pit · prune · spell · arm · foot · key · calf · cabinet

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. foot — a measure
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. prune — to trim
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spell — a short time
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spell — letters
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — in a race

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