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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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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: mark · fall · pit · rock · wax · arm · swing · key

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pit — in a race
  5. swing — to play on
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — the most important part
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rock — music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. key — in music
  13. swing — music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fall — the season
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wax — to grow

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