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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — the most important part
  4. degree — from a university
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. key — in music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — a tool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bank — for money
  12. current — electric
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. wound — an injury
  18. degree — an amount
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. current — happening now
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — temperature

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