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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. lean — thin
  5. tube — the underground
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. tube — a container
  8. charge — a price
  9. wound — an injury
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bank — for money
  14. key — in music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. plane — an aircraft

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