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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.

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: leaves · cue · key · bound · object · stick · arm · clip

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. clip — for paper
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bound — obliged
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bound — tied together
  9. object — a thing
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — for pool
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — a signal
  16. object — an aim
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. clip — a video
  19. bound — certain
  20. cue — a hint
  21. clip — to cut
  22. key — for a lock
  23. object — to protest
  24. arm — part of the body

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