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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · jam · bear · craft · date · spring · mark · key

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spring — a coil
  7. key — in music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. spring — the season
  12. bear — the animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. date — the fruit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. craft — a skill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — the animal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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