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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: land · plane · can · clip · board · ground · rest · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. land — to come down
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. clip — to cut
  10. land — ground
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — a tin
  14. clip — a video
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — for a lock
  17. clip — for paper
  18. land — a country
  19. key — the most important part
  20. board — a committee
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. rest — a break
  24. can — to be able to

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