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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. key — for a lock
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. key — in music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pit — a hole
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. drill — a practice
  15. plane — a tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — a song
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. track — a path

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