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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: present · arm · rush · track · pitcher · lean · key · date

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. key — in music
  12. track — a path
  13. key — the most important part
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — for a lock
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pitcher — a jug

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