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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: saw · plane · present · deal · bay · arm · track · key

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. present — the time now
  3. track — a path
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. present — a gift
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. key — for a lock
  8. track — to keep track
  9. deal — to handle
  10. key — in music
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. present — there

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