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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
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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: tube · hand · spell · plane · cabinet · ruler · key · foot

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. key — for a lock
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. spell — letters
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — a container
  12. spell — magic
  13. hand — help
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — in music
  16. hand — in cards
  17. spell — a short time
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tube — the underground

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