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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 120 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: rest · arm · ball · track · lie · leaves · drill · key

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a great time
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. track — a path
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. track — a song
  8. drill — a practice
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a dance
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. key — for a lock
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. key — in music
  24. lie — an untruth

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