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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.

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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: key · rush · scale · pit · shower · plane · face · track

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. scale — size or range
  3. face — to confront
  4. track — a path
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. shower — rain
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rush — hurry
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. face — to point toward
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. scale — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — a song
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pit — in a race
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. face — part of the head
  22. track — to keep track
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. key — in music

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