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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: degree · toast · wave · bay · key · hand · nail · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hand — in cards
  7. key — for a lock
  8. degree — from a university
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. hand — help
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. toast — bread
  16. degree — temperature
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. degree — an amount
  24. hand — part of the body

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