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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. key — for a lock
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. board — a committee
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. key — in music
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cold — not warm
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. board — to get on
  19. cold — an illness
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bear — the animal
  24. foot — 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