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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: rock · jam · arm · face · toast · key · suit · calf

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rock — music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — to fit
  18. toast — bread
  19. rock — a stone
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. face — to point toward
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — in traffic

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