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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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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: plane · hand · stick · staff · suit · key · ruler · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hand — in cards
  18. staff — a stick
  19. key — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hand — help

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