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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: pound · suit · mark · field · jam · key · staff · last

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. field — a subject
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. last — final
  7. key — in music
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — to fit
  15. last — to go on
  16. staff — employees
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — a weight
  23. field — for sport
  24. key — for a lock

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