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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. object — a thing
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — the most important part
  6. race — a contest
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — for a lock
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — thin
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. race — humankind
  14. object — to protest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. object — an aim
  23. fork — in a road
  24. key — in music

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