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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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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: jam · wave · bass · mark · capital · bay · arm · key

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — in music
  10. capital — money
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bass — low music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mark — a grade
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. capital — a city

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