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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 116 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: can · degree · plane · coach · track · key · object · last

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a path
  7. object — an aim
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. last — finally
  11. degree — temperature
  12. last — final
  13. track — a song
  14. can — to be able to
  15. degree — an amount
  16. object — a thing
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. key — for a lock
  20. last — to go on
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — to protest
  23. key — the most important part
  24. plane — an aircraft

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