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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · plane · lean · arm · saw · squash · patient · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a line of people
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — in music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — for a lock
  19. file — a document
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. key — the most important part
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. squash — the vegetable

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