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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.

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: sharp · firm · arm · march · wax · cue · fork · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. firm — a company
  3. key — in music
  4. sharp — clever
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — music
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. march — the month
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. march — the month
  11. firm — decided
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — steady
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. arm — a part of something
  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