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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: tube · squash · foot · key · mark · shower · wind · plane

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. shower — rain
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. foot — a measure
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. shower — to wash
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. tube — the underground
  20. squash — to crush
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. wind — moving air
  24. key — for a lock

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