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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. key — in music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. plane — a tool
  8. current — happening now
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — of law
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mark — a grade
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — a container
  18. court — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. court — of a king
  24. pass — to spend time

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