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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: chip · racket · game · key · wake · plane · stand · sharp

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. chip — for betting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. plane — a tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chip — to eat
  24. game — a kind of play

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