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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 · foot · ruler · bank · content · band · plane · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. content — happy
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — for a lock
  10. band — a ring
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — a tool
  16. content — the amount
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. key — in music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. plane — in geometry

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