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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. current — electric
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bark — to shout
  8. board — a committee
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. current — happening now
  11. spell — magic
  12. drill — army training
  13. board — to get on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spell — letters
  19. plane — a tool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. current — of water
  22. drill — the tool
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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