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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 · mouse · straw · toast · wave · cabinet · key · arm

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. key — in music
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — to bear
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. toast — bread
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. arm — part of the body

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