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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: stand · trunk · arm · rush · lie · drill · key · sharp

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — in music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. key — for a lock
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — clever
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rush — hurry
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. drill — army training
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lie — an untruth

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