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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: bear · pitch · leaves · lean · prune · key · bass · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — completely
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lean — thin
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bass — the fish
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bear — the animal

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