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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.

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: cabinet · wake · lean · plane · pitch · bank · key · bat

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. lean — thin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — in music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — of a river
  11. key — for a lock
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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