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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. sharp — clever
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bore — to tire
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hand — in cards
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. hand — help

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