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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. land — to come down
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mine — for digging
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — a line
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — of a river
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. plane — a tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — belonging to me

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