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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 120 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: stick · firm · drill · cap · plane · ruler · key · tube

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. tube — the underground
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cap — a lid
  6. firm — steady
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — decided
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. firm — a company
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — a container
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cap — of ice

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