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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. key — the most important part
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — to rob
  9. key — for a lock
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. key — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — a face
  17. present — the time now
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — a gift
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mug — a cup
  24. file — a line of people

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