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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
468
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: arm · leaves · cell · nail · kick · key · sharp · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bound — obliged
  7. kick — in football
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bound — certain
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. key — in music
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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