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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. track — a path
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. key — for a lock
  8. track — a song
  9. band — a ring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — a tool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a tool
  14. key — in music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a music group
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. file — a line of people
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. file — a document
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. key — the most important part

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