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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: plane · key · sharp · roll · nail · spring · pop · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — a tool
  3. key — in music
  4. roll — a list
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spring — of water
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. spring — a coil
  13. key — the most important part
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pop — soda
  16. sharp — clever
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. spring — the season
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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