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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: toast · bank · foot · arm · pass · squash · rash · key

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. toast — bread
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. key — in music
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — a permit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. key — the most important part
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bank — of a river

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