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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · plane · fan · ruler · coach · nail · ground · key

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — in music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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