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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. file — a line of people
  3. march — the month
  4. key — in music
  5. march — the month
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. face — part of the head
  11. file — a tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. object — a thing
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mug — a face
  16. key — the most important part
  17. face — to confront
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. file — a document
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. plane — a tool

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