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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.

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: hand · kick · pop · bear · key · rock · lean · plane

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pop — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. key — in music
  7. lean — to bend
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hand — help
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lean — thin
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. kick — in football

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