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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: game · plane · foot · lie · leaves · bank · wave · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — the most important part
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — in music
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. game — a match
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. game — wild animals
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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