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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: key · mark · lash · pit · lean · march · arm · charge

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pit — a hole
  6. charge — a price
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pit — in a race
  9. march — the month
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — to bend
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. march — music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — in control

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