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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: arm · firm · stock · key · date · saw · mate · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stock — shares
  9. key — the most important part
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. key — for a lock
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. key — in music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. firm — a company
  24. roll — a cake

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